There's no reward for 49ers' Mitchell

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, September 15, 1996

SANTA CLARA - After five weeks of blood, sweat and cheers, 49ers inside linebacker Kevin Mitchell returns to the bench next Sunday. Some reward.

Filling in for injured Gary Plummer, who broke his left wrist in the exhibition opener against Denver, Mitchell more than held his own. He made 10 tackles in the first two regular-season games, but more important, handled most defensive signals, effectively changing calls and coverages.

The result? A 2-0 start and the top-rated defense in the

NFL.

"The great thing is that Kevin has shown us he can take the bull by the horns and handle that position," said linebackers coach John Marshall. "Physically, he's stepped up and dumped guards on their back and met the lead blockers well. I'm proud of what he's done."

So is Plummer, who returned to practice last week and reclaims his starting spot at Carolina next Sunday. He's a fast healer anyway, but Mitchell's performance probably expedited the recovery.

"He played extremely well," Plummer said. "The coaches were a little bit worried in the preseason because he didn't show a lot. I have to give Kevin a lot of credit because he listened to every coaching point that John Marshall gave him. He was just a sponge."

There was a reason Mitchell started slowly. The third-year man from Syracuse, a second-round draft pick in 1994, was thinking too much instead of reacting. In the last preseason game against Seattle, he finally settled down.

"At first I was kind of tentative," said Mitchell, 25, who started every game (48) of his college career. "I was worried about making mistakes. By the Seattle game, everything started rolling. I just played."

More than anything, Mitchell wanted to show teammates they could depend on him. That wasn't the case last season. After a productive preseason, he was relegated to special teams and went into a funk.

"Everything started going downhill for me," he said.

"I'd made some plays here and there, but it wasn't like I was really trying. I wasn't there mentally."

Mitchell worked with a motivational counselor during the offseason and returned to school to clear his mind. Apparently, the combination worked. He's a different person this year, although the real test - returning to backup duty and special teams - is yet to come.

"He's more mature and understands his role," said Marshall. "I think it's a new Kevin Mitchell. He will take his role and go with it."

Especially after proving himself.

"The main thing I wanted to do was show the other 10 guys I could play with them," Mitchell said. "I just wanted to let everybody know they could trust me, that I'll go to war with them."

According to Plummer, Mitchell has.

"I'm proud of him," Plummer said. "The lesson for everybody out there is what a difference attitude can make. He's the same guy physically as last year, but his attitude is so much better."

"I'm quite sure it will be frustrating," he said. "It's tough when the defense is going out there after the kickoff and you're still on the sidelines. After you get in there and get that feeling, you want it all the time."

Mitchell said he hopes Plummer does well, but that doesn't mean he has to be happy about it. Considering how well the defense has played, some might question why head coach George Seifert is making a change.

"I suppose you could make a case for that," said Marshall. "But Gary's the starter there, and he has the rightful ownership of that position at this point."

The key phrase is "at this point." Without question, Mitchell is being groomed to replace Plummer. The 11th-year veteran from Cal is 36, played three years for the Oakland Invaders in the USFL, and has had 12 surgeries. Eventually, the job will belong to Mitchell.

"Kevin did a heckuva job and has got to stay prepared," Seifert said. "I'm sure there will be more playing time for him through this thing. If something happens, he's got to be ready to step right in." &lt;